Zen proverb: "When we are born, we cry and the world rejoices. When we die, we rejoice and the world cries."

For the benefit of the descendants, I feel that accuracy is paramount. In this respect, I FIND A GRAVE before creating a memorial, then I attempt to research each individual, in hopes of finding familial links. I do not sit at the computer, blindly creating memorials from fresh obituaries or fifty year old third party US GenWeb surveys.

However diligent in my research, I occasion to make inaccurate entries. I generally revert to the earliest source for the most accurate data, but I welcome alternate information. I promise that I will not require congressional hearings before making a correction.

For those unfamiliar with Southern drawls: Ida is 'Ider', Eula is 'Euler', Lula is 'Lular', and so on. I tend to revert to the proper spelling and disregard the phonetic spelling commonly found on headstones.

In all but the rarest cases, I refuse to link 'burial unknown' memorials. There are appropriate sites available for those interested only in re-creating family trees. I am of the opinion that imaginary graves defeat the purpose of this site.

I might also add that I ignore vague memorial entries which consist of nothing more than two initials and a last name, followed by unknown birth and death dates. This is not an attempt to document, so much as it is an attempt to 'reserve' a memorial in hopes that someone else will do the research. I will take a screen shot of the incomplete memorial, and then create a proper memorial. If afterwards I discover that the blanks have been filled, and a 'older memorial' complaint is filed to FaG, I will remit the screen shot, and expose you as a useless, and numbers motivated member.

My goal is to assist others in their research:

Please note that I am not a rabid memorial collector. Many of the memorials which I manage are not of related individuals, so transfer requests are welcome. Unlike so many other members, I do not regard the transfer guidelines as a royal decree. Besides, it isn't as if someone else is growing closer in kinship to the deceased, since we aren't moving backwards through time.

Please FEEL FREE to use any photos that I have posted, either of individuals or headstones. I am not interested in 'credit' for these photos. Generosity seems to be lacking in respect to the sharing & redistribution of 'long-lost' photos of loved ones. Besides, they're not just my relatives... they're our relatives.

Many make a big fuss in respect to what they mistakenly perceive as 'copyrighted' material. Since I am in the publishing business, it is my job to be intimately familiar with copyright law. Proper copyrighting is a legal course of action which requires paperwork and monetary outlay, it is not magically granted by the Copyright Wizard.

The Fair Use Doctrine, Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act states:

"The fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phono records or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright."

"In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use, the factors to be considered shall include the purpose, and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature, or is for nonprofit educational purposes; the nature of the copyrighted work; the amount, and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and the effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work."

In addition, let us say that I have in my possession, via inheritance, a 100 year old third-party photograph. Neither it, nor the digital image, is 'my' property. Unless the descendants of the (now deceased) photographer had the original copyright renewed, the original copyright has expired. The copyright does not 'automatically transfer' to the individual in possession of the image, which is actually a copy of the negative. Such works fall within the realm of Public Domain. However, if the family of the photographer holds a proper copyright on the image, they can still claim ownership of the photo, and can have it legally removed from my possession, therefore my 'ownership' is mistakenly inferred.

Inasmuch as grave stone photos are concerned... I am incredulous at the amount of nonsense on this site regarding them, but headstone photos are NOT considered professional, non-replicable, unique, commercial works of ART. Unless someone is actually trying to make a profit by SELLING copies of your idiotic, poorly taken headstone photos, no one is stealing from you, nor infringing on your imaginary 'copyright'.

In other words, no one will succeed in suing someone else for making digital copies of family or headstone photos. It WILL be an exercise in futility.

Last, I would like to point out that I have been informed by administration that it is considered 'derogatory' for me to refer to self-appointed site monitors as the 'chalk police' on my own bio page. I am terribly sorry if I've offended anyone.

On the bright side, I am left to assume that it is still perfectly acceptable for other members to leave all sorts of judgmental and rude remarks in my public message section, so have at it. I'm not so easily offended. However I will not remove the messages that are left by these members, so my advice is to choose your words wisely...they will follow you like a lost dog.

Earlier this year you requested a grave photo at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis. This cemetery is quite large and without a plot location it is near impossible to just stumble upon a requested grave. I am happy to try to fulfill your request though if you will contact the office and ask for the plot location.Just let me know, or post the plot on the memorial and I will try to fulfill it in the near future The office can be reached at (901) 767-8930

RE: Berry Carson NealAlot of contributors for Find A Grave these days are requesting that certificates not be added to the memorials they manage--alot of us consider them in bad taste. I always try to make sure all important information from the certificates is included in the memorial and it is in this case. The draft registration is not adding any new information to the memorial so why have it on there.

No, it is not against Find A Grave rules to place certificates on memorials but such certificates according to Find A Grave should be added under the "Other" photo selection not the "Personal" photo selection as you have done in this instance.

I guess it is just out of courtesy to try and follow the requests on each contributor's profile page concerning this and my profile states it does not want certificates on memorials.

It would be very much appreciated if you would please reconsider your decision on this matter and remove the draft registration photo from Berry Carson Neal's memorial page, as he is a family member from my husband's Taylor family.